A committee of Wells community members review proposals from individuals conducting research involving human participants. The review process ensures that all research conducted at the College adheres to federal guidelines based on the principles of justice, beneficence, and respect for all persons. Read more.

"The interactive learning on site [during a vet tec internship] gave me the assurance I needed to better understand my career goals. Actually seeing the animals' anatomy and interconnections during surgery really made class come alive for me."

Angelique Villeneuve ’16

Biology major

Working side by side with professors on original research projects enhances the educational experience for Wells students and gives them an edge in graduate school and professional advancement. At Wells, all students, not just a select few, work on research projects or participate in Capstone Experiences leading to a senior thesis.

Undergraduate research at Wells has led students to participate in local and national disciplinary conferences and to co-author papers for publication in scholarly journals. For over twenty years, Wells students have been selected to present their research findings at the annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). The Wells students who presented their work at the 27th National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), held April 11-13, 2013 at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Those students, their area of study, the title of their presentation, and their Wells faculty sponsor(s) are:

Melissa Fortin, Psychology, "Deviation of and Conformity to the Campus Pet Policy" (Markowitz), and Mathematics, "Creating a Reservoir Management Plan for the Hinckley Reservoir Using Operations Research" (Moore) This latter paper was co-authored with several other Wells students, Pamela Badian-Pessot, Rebecca Doyle, and Louisa Suarez

Theresa Mendez, English, "The "Signifyin(g)" Indian in Sherman Alexie's The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven" (Burroughs), and Film and Media Studies, "The Real Housewives of Big Brother: Surveillance and Stylistic Strategies in Reality TV" (Lohn)

Robyn Moody, English, "The Humanization of Death in the Book Thief" (Burroughs)

The Senior Project

All students produce a senior essay or project during their last year of study at Wells. The senior thesis crystallizes the college experience and provides excellent training for graduate-level studies. It also provides students with the unique experience of completing a thoughtful, in-depth analysis of a topic that is of importance to them.

Senior Theses - Examples from the Classes of '12, '13 and '14

Biological and Chemical Sciences

Gwenn Lillie, "The Effects of Competitive Swimming on the Human Shoulder"

Sarah Maimouni, "The Pathogenic Characteristics of HPV and its Synergistic Effects on the Adaptive Immunity"